Augusta Highway

The Hon. G.G. BROCK (Frome) (15:19): My question is to the Minister for Transport and Infrastructure. Can the minister update the house on the progress of any designs and any provisions of any land that may be required for the duplication of the Augusta Highway or National Highway 1 between Crystal Brook and Port Pirie? With your leave, and that of the house, sir, I will explain a bit further.

Leave granted.

The Hon. G.G. BROCK: In the last state budget, there were allocations for funds for the design and provision of that to be done in the next 12 months in this financial year. In the township of Warnertown, which is located on the current route of the highway, there are people who are interested in expanding their businesses, and they are very concerned about the opportunity for their progress, what plans or designs are in place and what time frame that will be.

The Hon. C.L. WINGARD (Gibson—Minister for Infrastructure and Transport, Minister for Recreation, Sport and Racing) (15:20): I thank the member for his question and his interest in the Augusta Highway. It's another one of the great projects that our government is delivering, of course. We have a $17.9 billion infrastructure spend and the work on the Augusta Highway is incredibly important. In that budget that you talk about is the expansion to Lochiel as well. The duplication to there is another step that we are doing, and that business case is being done for the further extension of that highway.

It is not the only road that we have had to put money into since coming into government: of course, the Eyre Highway—plenty of money going in there—the Barrier Highway, and the Horrocks Highway. I was down in the South-East as well just last week again, where we are putting more money into roads in that region and that community. We know that when those opposite were in government they did neglect our regional roads. We are very conscious of that and that's why we are putting lots of money back into regional roads—billions and billions of dollars going into those projects.

So the business case is underway. Where it is actually at, I am happy to get that detail and report back to the member, but we understand that these regional roads are really important to South Australia from a productivity point of view, to help generate jobs in our state, and also from a road safety perspective in making our roads safer. So the investment is there, the money is there, and that body of work is underway. I will get an update for the member and return to him with that detail.